Tag Archives: Internet Marketing

Businesses have a hard time staying away from social media because of all of the potential benefits that come with it. A lot of us don’t realize that social media can act as a double edged sword and bring our businesses down if not handled correctly. Whether you have employees handling social media accounts to just help your customers or you are launching a full blow social media campaign, it is important that your company has a social media policy that is properly enforced.

Bad Impressions

Having a policy will ensure that no one will end up sending the wrong message to your audiences. If someone is having a bad day due to a co-worker, you don’t want them to go on your social media accounts and start posting their situation for everyone to see. This might seem like a farfetched idea, but the truth is, it happens more often than it should. Keep your social media accounts maintained and do not allow your employees to give anyone a bad impression of your company.

Unwanted Situations

Bad social media practices can lead to unwanted situations where you might have to take action against someone. Using the previous example again, you have an employee who ranted about his bad day due to a co-worker. He then start an entire conversion regarding the issue and puts the company in a really bad situation. You might end up needing to take action against that employee for failing to properly handle the social media account. This whole situation could have been avoided if you had just had a policy in place for your employees to abide by. Now your ex-employee is jobless, you have to hire someone new, and your business is still in a bad situation getting bad impressions off of your profile.

Social media marketing campaigns can be large and confusing, but having a step by step policy and what is supposed to be done will make it much easier for your employees to keep on track. There are so many different types of social media marketing strategies, so it is important that your social media team understands exactly what it is they are supposed to be doing and what they are not.

Businesses that hire social media teams without giving them many guidelines usually see a wide variety of different strategies being used, but none of them going anywhere. If the team focuses on a particular strategy, it will go much further than just doing a few things here and there.

Productivity Issues

Ever had someone that is running your social media accounts fail to get all of their work done because they keep getting sidetracked by all of the distractions that can be found on those sites? Well, this happens all of the time. By placing the right policies, you can ensure that they will no longer waste your company’s valuable time because they keep visiting profiles and websites that are completely irrelevant to their work. Making them aware of what they are allowed to do and what they should be staying away from, will give them a guideline on how they can spend their time.

Social media and branding go hand in hand. Again, using the previous example. One employee posting the wrong things put your company’s brand at risk. If that post continues to get more and more views, your public image will change and can hurt traffic, sales, and overall growth. It is important to have a policy in place that only allows you brand to grow in the right direction. Risking your brand can ultimately bring down your whole business, so don’t underestimate how important it is.

There are many more different benefits that will come with setting up a proper social media policy, but these 5 examples should get you thinking of creating one as soon as possible. If you want more examples of businesses getting hurt by social media situation, look it up, you will find as many as you can read. Although having a policy won’t create a fool proof way to control your social media presence, it sure does help a lot.

Author Bio:

This is a guest post by Ness. She works as a writer at www.make-a-web-site.com – a site dedicated to help webmasters and website owners choose the best host for their domain. Check out their website for more web hosting reviews.

As you work to establish yourself as an online presence, you may wonder what you can do to make your website more visible and attractive to web users. In fact, you may already be aware of traditional SEO strategies such as using keywords, having a solid yet simple domain name, and utilizing email marketing. However, as valuable as these strategies are, there’s a new trend in online marketing. While you contemplate the best suggestions to use for directing traffic to your website and establish your venture online, you would do well to rely on someone that can help you with SMI strategies. SMI (Search Marketing Integration) is a basically a combination of search engine and social strategies.

Changes To SEO And Search Methods

Being aware of the role of SMI in today’s online marketing will allow you to reach more potential clients and expand your existing customer base. Being open to the changes in online marketing and allowing an SEO company, such as Everspark Interactive, to guide you in utilizing their services to your advantage can help you survive as an online presence, despite the ever-changing climate of Internet marketing.

It used to be that social networking sites were viewed as novelties and, in fact, insignificant to an online company’s survival. People went to these sites to play games, post messages to friends, and fill up time as they browsed the Internet. Now, however, social networking sites like Pinterest, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter and others play a major role in how well a company survives among its online competitors.

Establishing social networking accounts should be one of your primary goals as an online entrepreneur. Keeping these accounts active, relevant and updated as much as possible should also remain one of your top priorities. You can maintain your social media presence when you follow the advice outlined by a good SEO company.

The Value Of People Over Traditional SEO Methods

As SEO evolves, you need to be aware that search engines are changing in the way that they rank websites. Major search engines like Google and Bing are placing more favor on websites which are established on these social media sites and garner significant attention from the public. In essence, your website can achieve a higher search engine ranking if you are able to get more Facebook likes, Twitter retweets, Google +1s, reposts on Tumblr and other favorable reviews on social media sites. Demonstrations that people like your company, your posts, your products, and any other activities that you share through social networking place you in higher regards with search engine companies.

In fact, it is now common knowledge that this SMI strategy places a higher value on people rather than traditional search algorithms. For that reason, you would do well to ensure your survival, if not your prosperity online if you rely on an SEO company to show you how to utilize social networking to your advantage. Without using these social networking sites to your favor, you could jeopardize your venture’s livelihood online.

SEO methods that were valid and useful three or four years ago are now being integrated with SMI strategies. As online marketing strategies change, you can ensure your success as an online presence by relying on a knowledgeable and experienced SEO company to help you attract people to your website.

Nadine Swayne writes this article to inform business owners of the importance of effective marketing. The SEO specialists at Everspark Interactive bring top ranking and innovative SEO techniques to the table for their clients. They strive to be the eyes and ears of your overall online strategy.

As a worldwide population we all have our differences as well as those things that bind us together whether we live in Asia or on the beaches in countries such as Brazil. One of the ties that bind us is the fact that we are all consumers in one form another; whether we are enjoying a meal at our favorite restaurant or purchasing the seeds to plant our garden at home. As consumers we are constantly exposed to a variety of marketing campaigns that can help us make decisions on products. Creating a successful marketing campaign is a crucial component in ensuring that potential consumers become customers for your businesses.

Organization is Critical

All members of the business community known that organization is critical in order to reach all goals set before them. The ability to prioritize and organize is especially critical when planning your marketing campaign. Make sure that all members of your marketing team are kept up to speed throughout the entire process. You can either plan daily or monthly team meetings. Technology can also be an ally here because you can use email or other electronic communications to keep each other up to date.

Decide on the purpose of your Campaign

One of the first steps in creating any type of campaign is deciding on its purpose. Marketing can be useful in many different respects. If you are a smaller business, marketing is the critical avenue for you to introduce yourself to your community.

You may also choose to focus on a new product or line of products that may replace or improve on existing items.

Focus on Your Audience

Not all products are meant to be used by consumers of all ages. Be sure to focus on the specific demographic(s) that you wish to reach with your campaign. As it comes together it may be a wise choice to test it out on your demographics.

Choose a Color Scheme

The right color can make all the difference in your campaign. If your company is known for a specific color scheme this aspect of your campaign is already taken care of. However, you can also choose the scheme based on specific needs.

When choosing the color keep in mind that contrast is important as it will make your message stand out. Be sure to tie the color into the emotion you are trying to elicit with your product or service. For example, red and orange generally elicit strong feelings and excitement. On the other hand, white connotes purity or safety.

Decide on Your Message

Your color scheme is only a part of your overall campaign. You also need to decide on a message that will not only appeal to people, but also resonate with them.

Mediums

Your choice of marketing mediums is also important. There are traditional formats like television or radio. The new avenue of social marketing is also an important exploration tool. Physical items such as ink pens and pins can also help spread your message. If potential customers have the opportunity to take an item home it may further cement your name into their brain.

Creating a successful marketing campaign will take a lot of work. Keep all decisions fluid until the last moment to allow for any last minute changes.

One of the most common mistakes in any international or local internet marketing campaign is that the campaign does not make sense to most potential customers. Within a few seconds of glancing at your PPC ad or landing page, customers should know exactly who you are, what you do, and what you do not do. Below are a few tips for how to make your Google PPC campaign thrive, from picking the right Google Ad Words to creating the best landing page.

How to pick the right Google Ad Words

First and foremost, make sure that your Google Ad Words are relevant to your business or product. Often, being more specific is better. For example, instead of choosing the word “coffee” for your business that ships green coffeebeans that individuals can roast at home, choose the keyword phrase “green coffee beans.” Chances are, few people looking to find other things associated with coffee—coffee shops, coffee flavored ice cream, coffee pots, coffee gift baskets—are interested in purchasing green coffee beans to roast at home. Reach out to the right customer for your business.

Have a landing page that is easy to understand

After having an ad that clearly states what you offer, make sure that your landing page is easy to understand. Within a few seconds, potential customers should be able to know who you are and what you offer. One problem with many landing pages is that site visitors cannot readily figure out what site they are visiting. You need to ensure that your landing page shows the following, regardless of whether your focus is local internet marketing or international sales:

This information should be easy to see on your landing page and easy to understand

Creative web design is great. Similarly, having a landing page that looks expensive is important. However, your landing page will only hurt you if you cannot clearly articulate who you are and what you do on it. Remember that potential customers do not owe you anything. It is your responsibility to make sure your message gets across, not their civic duty to try to decode your landing page. Come up with a solid identity and clearly state it in a few simple sentences. If you still question your company’s identity, it’s time to go back to your business plan and figure it out.

Optimizing any Google Ad Words campaign

Always focus on being clear and concise throughout the entire campaign. You don’t want to attract all customers; you want to attract the right kind of customer by clearly articulating what you have to offer. In addition, working with local marketing experts can help guide you through the system to make your internet marketing campaign count. By connecting with the right customers through popular online advertising techniques, you can build a brand for your business to thrive.

Chris Marentis is the founder and CEO of Surefire Social. He has a marked history of branding expertise in the e-commerce and internet marketing industires. For more information, visit http://www.surefiresocial.com/.

Internet marketing is now a critical piece of just about any company’s marketing mix. There are few marketing options with the speed, efficiency and reach as internet marketing. And so you should take the time to ensure you are focusing sufficiently on your internet marketing to maximize your revenue and growth.

The year 2013 will prove to be another year in which the array of internet marketing vehicles, tools and techniques will continue to increase. To help you capitalize on the opportunities, here are 13 hot internet marketing trends for 2013 that you should consider when planning your marketing initiatives throughout the year:

13 Hot Internet Marketing Trends in 2013

1. Design Matters

Design matters, because design sells. Just look at the success of Apple, Pinterest, Desk.com or Nike. All four websites are stunning, and that’s no coincidence. Apple is the most valuable company of all time. It actually carries very few products, though. It’s the design that powers Apple’s value. Nike is a shoe and apparel company, yet pays just as much attention to the design of its website, videos and ads as much as to anything else. Focus on great design for all of your internet marketing in 2013.

2. Marketing Goes Visual

Similarly, communication through visual means is hot, and only getting hotter. Whether the explosion in infographics, or the dramatic rise in the popularity of Pinterest, or the redesigns of Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, we are going through a visual revolution. Start figuring out how to make more of your marketing visual in 2013.

3. Parallax Design

Parallax website design incorporates special scrolling techniques whereby background images on the screen move slower than foreground images, creating an illusion of depth on the screen. You can see examples at the following websites: Volkswagon Beetle and Activate (be sure to scroll down the page!). If you are planning a website redesign in 2013, consider incorporating elements of parallax design.

4. Mobile Mobile Mobile

Wordwide, there are over 5 billion mobile users and 1.1 billion smartphone subscribers specifically. The iPad was the fastest growing technology product EVER! Wow, if you need further convincing that you should start planning how to connect with your audience via mobile channels for your business, you’re nuts!

5. Video Video Video

More than 4 billion online videos are watched every day. Sixty-eight percent of video watchers share video links. So it’s clear your audience likes video. On top of this, consider that after 72 hours, a typical person can retain about 10% of text that they’ve read, 65% of an image they’ve seen, or 95% of a video they watched. Think that video might be helpful with communicating your message to your audience? Just a bit, huh?!?

6. Cloud-Based Tools

To be uber-efficient with your internet marketing efforts, you should be using cloud-based tools. For email marketing, you might be using MailChimp. For SEO, you might be using SEOmoz. For landing page testing, you might be using Unbounce. For heat map analysis, you might be using CrazyEgg. For website analysis, you might be using BoostSuite. Check out all the unbelievably useful options available to you.

7. The Multi-Screen World

With 86% of mobile internet users actually using their devices while watching TV, and with more than 10,901 Tweets PER SECOND being issued as TV viewers watched Adele win Record of the Year at The Grammy’s, it’s clear that we all live in a multi-screen world. Make sure that your internet marketing accounts for not just desktops, but ALL screens.

8. Social Media Gets Smarter

Facebook has more than 1 billion users, and Twitter has more than 500 million. Social media is an opportunity for your business, but it’s been difficult for many businesses to make sense of it all and to gain solid business value out of it. With a growing number of marketing platforms such as Wildfire by Google and ShortStack, and with more granular social media analytics as provided by tools such asSproutSocial, Followerwonk and PageLever, extracting clear meaning from your social marketing will get easier over time.

9. Retargeting Goes Mainstream

Retargeting is a means of placing your advertisements in front of your audience after they have left your website without converting. What many marketers fail to realize is that retargeting is one of the most effective internet marketing techniques available. If you are already investing in your site and your marketing campaigns for more site traffic, then it typically pays big dividends to remind the people who left your website without a conversion of your value in solving their needs. Your options for retargeting include Google Remarketing, AdRoll, Retargeter and also Bizo (for exceptional B2B retargeting).

10. Email Remarketing

In lead generation campaigns or retailer email marketing, there are always going to be occurrences of form or cart abandonment. However, it’s a waste to just let the prospect go without reaching out and finding out if you might indeed offer exactly what they want or need. After the abandonment of a registration form or online shopping cart, through email remarketing you can send out an automated email to give your brand another chance at winning the heart and mind of the prospect. According to SeeWhy, 26% of those who abandoned an online shopping cart will return to complete the purchase in the case they receive a remarketing email.

11. Search, Social & PR Collide

Organic search has been incorporating social signals for some time, and the integration of search and social has accelerated with the introduction of Google+ and the Google Knowledge Graph. With Google’s Panda and Penguin search algorithm updates, it’s become extremely clear that quality and value matter. That means high quality content, combined with sincere, transparent social marketing, combined with targeted PR is going to be a triad that’s hard to beat.

12. Attribution Measurement

If you run multiple forms of internet marketing, such as paid search, SEO, email marketing, display advertising, and retargeting, then it can be difficult to assess the value of each piece of your marketing puzzle. If someone encounters your brand five times in a given week through the different marketing vehicles, who’s to say how much credit to give to each of the different pieces. That’s where attribution measurement services come in, whether Google, ClearSaleing or VisualIQ.

13. The Hispanic Market

Hispanics are the fastest-growing segment of the US population. And as they represent approximately 25% of new births, expect them to have an impact on your future business. Research points to Hispanics spending more time online than non-Hispanics and being more active online than non-Hispanics. If you have been ignoring the Hispanic market, perhaps 2013 is the time to start providing the market with the attention and customization that it deserves.

As a freelance writer there is one thing I have learned and that is the importance of being seen; the more companies that notice you and know about you, the bigger your business grows. Now this may sound obvious, but these days we are all so technologically driven, we’ve forgotten about getting back to basics. Ways to promote ourselves without the internet as our back bone.

Is the Internet the Right Marketing Tool for You?

My business is internet based and I couldn’t survive without the internet. I have customers from around the world contacting me on a daily basis, so I do use the internet as a tool to get noticed.

A great website, informative blogs and constant social media updates ensures that I am always fresh in a customer’s mind when they think of writing a press release, updating their website pages or even when they think of starting a new blog.

Knock and Drops

I don’t want my customers to only be international. I am based in the UK and a majority of my customers are UK based. I achieved this through hard work and interestingly enough, away from the internet although the computer did help me somewhat here.

Handing out pamphlets made from A5 card combined with a stunning design and basic information on the services I provide has proven to be an excellent marketing tool. The card isn’t too expensive and I designed a stunning design with my contact details clearly shown.

I didn’t just shove these through letter boxes because doing that just gives the person an opportunity to throw them in the bin. I actually took the time to wander around the city, knocking on office doors and explaining what I do and handing them the A5 card with my company name and contact details.

You’d be amazed at the response that I got from handing out these cards as people actually appreciated me taking the time to introduce myself in person.

Charity Events

Another of my marketing explosions is taking part in charity events in my area. You may wonder how a writer can gain business from a charity event, but you’d be surprised the people you meet at these functions.

I arrange with the organisers to write a press release around the event for free as long as I can do some worthwhile marketing. Armed with a table, chair and my A5 card pamphlets I sit in wait, introducing myself to everyone attending the function and ensuring they don’t leave without my details.

The Phone

Lastly I use the phone, when I started my very first job many moons ago telemarketing was a top choice for finding new work and it still works today. While we are all still so engrossed in the internet and using online resources, the old fashioned ways can still bring in great business opportunities if you are willing to make the effort and put some time into it.

I’ve picked up many customers over the phone, on getting their names and details I always post off one of my A5 card pamphlets, this way I know they will always have my details on hand.

You’d be completely amazed how often I use my pamphlets; they are used for knock and drops, charity events and in the mail. The A5 card is affordable and comes in a range of colours, which was great because I could pick the colour that best matched my design.

A basic colour printer is the only other thing I needed, so it’s the cost of paper and ink and I have an affordable marketing option away from the internet and a marketing option that has afforded me a large percentage of my business.

Gem Wilson is a writer who understands the importance of promoting and marketing your business. She recommends printing a design and your contact details on A5 card to hand out to potential customers in person as this gives you a way of starting a conversation with them.

Freelance SEO specialist– as it is very clear that freelancers work as independent consultants in other words we can say that freelance SEO’s can work with clients from anywhere because their self-employed and client base is frequently restricted.

SEO companies– SEO companies provide a similar consultancy services but they consist a large team. The size of an SEO company can be anything from two people to hundred or more than that. They always offer other internet marketing services for example- pay per click advertising, web design or display advertising and SEO as well.

Search engine optimization is a technique of marketing that is used in improving the traffic of website and search engine rankings. As soon as a website gets more and more visitors the probability of escalating popularity and sales also grows. This is the target of every website owner and that is why they take the assistance of SEO specialist. SEO specialists increase the sales and profits of their websites by optimizing that. Freelance SEO specialist and SEO companies are two different type of specialist .so being website owners it depends on you, who you to want hire for the optimization of your website and who can provide you more profit.

According to the comparison the rates of freelancer SEO services are cheaper than the established SEO companies so if you want to hire cheap SEO services you may think of freelancer SEO services. But in the world of business you can’t believe on anyone blindly so before hiring a freelancer SEO services for your business known their work experience and principles in website optimization. Ask for the advice and reply from their earlier clients. Inquire his or her preceding projects and ask them weather their campaigns were succeeded or not. By the help of all these instruction you can easily figure out whether that person is proficient to do the job or not.

In the above passage it has been mentioned that freelancer are little dangerous to hire because of lack of experience but SEO companies are already recognized in this work. They do everything so satisfactorily because of having so much experience regarding to this work and they prove themselves best SEO companies on the other hand are already established in this line of work. They know what to do and they do it well. So many people think that SEO companies are very much costly to hire but it is not true for every one there are lot of SEO companies that provide cheap and reasonable SEO services and it is a big true that hiring a SEO company is less risky than hiring a freelancer company. SEO companies are already tried and tested that is why they deliver good results.

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